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“No.” He frowned. “Was it? Did I use sarcasm properly? I rarely manage to do that.”
“I don’t need saving. Not everyone is out to hurt me.”
He gave her a look.
“It just feels like it,” she added.
Finally, her hands were free. He put the knife away before grabbing her hands and massaging them.
“No, don’t do that!” she protested.
“You need to get feeling back into them.”
“But it’s going to hurt.”
“You can handle it,” he told her.
“What if I can’t?”
“Well, I suppose I can cut them off.”
“Don’t joke around. Oh God. Oh God.” The pain was excruciating. She tried to breathe through it, but then her ribs started to ache.
She tried to hold in her whimpers. She couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of this guy. But that was kind of impossible when she felt anything but strong.
“You can cry. It’s all right. I’m not one of those men that can’t handle a woman’s tears. They don’t affect me.”
“Good to know.” She gritted her teeth and tried to pull her hands back. Then she flinched as her ribs protested the movement.
“Stop,” he commanded.
She froze, then shook herself out of the frozen state. What was she doing? She didn’t have to do what he said.
“You’re going to hurt yourself if you move like that.”
“You’re hurting me,” she said in a voice that almost sounded like a whine. Sheesh, what was she? Two?
Next, she’d be stomping her foot and throwing a tantrum.
She doubted she’d thrown a tantrum in her life. Growing up, all that would have gotten her was a slap round her face. Or worse.
Don’t think about that. Live in the now.
It was all she could do. That was how she got through each day. Living in the now.
Even if she didn’t think the now would last much longer.
“I’m trying to help you.” He gave her a firm look.
“Like I haven’t heard that before. I’m only hurting you to help you. Uh-huh.”
“You need the circulation back in your hands before you get nerve damage.”
“You didn’t care before,” she accused. “You left me tied up.”
“Because I thought your man might come back. It was easier to have you tied up. You seem like a fighter.”
She didn’t feel like much of a fighter.
